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Anoushka Shankar at Blue Note Tokyo

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Venue:

Blue Note Jazz Club, Tokyo

Date: 10/10/2026

We booked from Australia. $A160 each.Anoushka Shankar daughter of Ravi, half sister of Norah Jones. Was trepidatious as my impression was of Anoushka was New Agey Wyndham Hill type stuff or overly poppy collaborations. But hey she had a rigorous schooling from Dad and done a lot of classical Indian stuff too. So let’s see. The venue is classy – a big room with lovely gold and black colours. The ceiling had row on row of staging equipment to accommodate any of the many international artists who appear there. There were two shows on that day we attended the 7.30 show which finished around 9.15. The band comprised acoustic bass drums, clarinet/ keyboards and sitar. The clarinet featured strongly and was superb. Understated drums. The sound was superb. We were to the side quite close but got a full balance. Anoushka played the sitar with the focus on individual notes and drones rather than busy runs of notes. She concentrated on 3 chapters as she called them evolving from darkness to acceptance and re-entering the light. It appears this has to do with her relationship. Her husband’s affair and the break » Continue Reading.

Junior’s first Jazz whisky bar in Tokyo

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A quiet first night in Asakusa and dropped by the Flamingo Club. Going since 1962. Steep staircase in red velvet and brass. A couple of tourists and a local. a big closed of area with jazz albums on the wall. Errol Garner, Cannonball , Ahmed Jamal, Wynton Kelly, Frankie etc. A small plush far linger than it is wide. I ordered a Japanese whisky Cant remember the name what it must have been about $30. Any way the stereo was a massive set up of McIntosh pre and power , T/ table and sacd player. The music was a female jazz singer. I could hardly hear her. Clearly volume never happens because one of the whopping speakers was seated on-top of a glass cabinet for delicate glassware.

And the positioning. The speakers were a good 6-8 metres apart , facing straight out and you are sitting about 2 metres out from them even if you are in the middle.

So all pretty silly really. Expecting better things next time. Hopefully pics in comments.

RIP Angry Anderson from Rose Tattoo

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Obituary

Stroppy little (5 foot 1) right wing bugger but emblematic of the distinctively Australian version of pub rock. Menacingly tattooed deceased guitarist Pete Wells ( and Angry pumped out some classic slide driven songs. Angry was 80 I think when he had a stroke on Germany a few weeks ago on their farewell tour. Farewell indeed

Vika and Linda Bull – Tonga meets Melbourne indie

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Venue:

Union Theatre, Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia

Date: 05/09/2026

This is a review of a concert by artists very few on the Afterword website would have heard of. But here in Australia, and especially in Melbourne they are musical institutions. Vika and Linda Bull have been the go-to backing singers for some of our best and most enduring artists such as the Black Sorrows and Paul Kelly. And on pretty much any roots type record with backing vocals you will find them credited. But backing vocals and being out front are different. So, I approached this show with positivity but a dash of wariness. They are doing a national tour, including regional areas, to promote their new album Where Do You come From? The song is emblematic of their story. Born to a Tongan mother and I assume Caucasian Melbourne bloke they are born and bred Aussie. But still the question, “where do you come from?” And when they respond “here” they common follow up is “no, where do you really come from”? It’s a powerful message. The song is emblematic, in my mind, because it tells us so many things about these vivacious sisters. That from backing singers, they » Continue Reading.

ATM – an Afterworder goes to Japan

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So we fly out of Oz Oct 4. The itinerary is set. I have a week in Tokyo and a coupla days in Oska at the end. Most interested in records, Cds and Jazz clubs. Please give me your recommendations. I know there are a gazillion options. These days probably more interested in jazz/ blues/reggae ( foundation) and dub. Bootlegs have an interest too.

Staying in Asakusa.

thanks.

ATM – why do I need more icloud storage

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Ever since I bought a new Macbook Air – don’t start anti Apple brigade, I have been getting hounded about my icloud storage being nearly full.

I have never bought extra storage. My new MacBook has heaqps more storage than the previous one. I assume that what I have, cloud wise is enough to keep me functional.

I download photos to a hrd drive. I don’t store music on my devices as I either stream or [play records and Cds. So I suppose this applies to all users of cloud storage. Do I really need to pay for more cloud storage?

Massive Attack does Clockwork Orange – well sort of

by 16 Comments

Venue:

Rod Laver Arena ,Melbourne Australia

Date: 11/08/2026

This recent tour in more than a decade has been very divisive down here. Things got off to an interesting start with MA being banned in Singapore after displaying a foreign flag. I don’t think it was because it was a Palestinian flag specifically, it seems you can’t display foreign flags in Singapore. Then they started this brief tour – one show only in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Melbourne sold out in 30 minutes. The first review I read by Andrew McMillen, a credible reviewer was deeply hostile saying he left the show feeling assaulted, that they had got the visual audio balance wrong and the political messaging was like being hit over the head. Another person complained that the messaging by David Byrne showed far more finesse. The debate raged a bit like Dylan shows. The fans saying ,well, what did you expect its Massive Attack versus the why can’t they just play music? But it did sound like this was to be a buckle up sorta show. Disclosure. I have never seen MA before and while I have quite a few of their albums in the collection, largely via » Continue Reading.

Morrissey does it again

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I think we’re a pretty smart group here. So, I’m thinking none of you actually planned a trip to Las Vegas primarily to see one of the four Morrissey shows booked there next week. I mean, it’s Morrissey. Even if you love him – I do not, though I did have a pretty contentious/fun time interviewing him back in the day – you know his history. So there is nothing, nothing at all shocking about this announcement:

Jim Sullivan on FB

Morrissey canceled his four-show Las Vegas residency at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas scheduled for August 14, 15, 18, and 19, 2026. His team cited “unforeseen logistical challenges” for the sudden cancellation.

Those darn, “unforeseen logistical challenges” rear their ugly head again. Could be he’s tired. Could be the venue wouldn’t stop serving meat. Could be Johnny Marr was rumored to be lurking in the area … no one knows.

Give me your trivia about Aja

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I am standing in for a guy on our local radio station tomorrow at short notice. He usually does a feature on an album. I intend doing Aja so any guff on the album or individual tracks. No mind if you think it is well known having em all together here will be handy.

thanks.

Rick Beato and the big names snub

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I am not sure about this beef. Seems he has had plenty of big names , Jarrett, Joel etc. Hard to imagine Mick and PMac would now go on under duress. I thought well maybe the Rick Rubin thing was filmed over a period and they can edit. But some of Beato’s interviews are done in stages and I am sure there is editing. Some of the Mick interviews have been quite derailed musically, not puffery.

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/rick-beato-says-superstars-like-paul-mccartney-prefer-chicken-shop-promo-to-his-channel-forbes-suggests-macca-simply-doesnt-want-the-in-depth-grill

Happy Johnny Bairstow Day

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Being celebrated down here so erm I guess for you lot up there it is in a few minutes. 3 years ago. My my what a dust up that was, and on here too. I wonder how Baron is going?

Wanna buy one of Tom Verlaine’s record collection?

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Haven’t seen a list but I recall that post the heights of his career he would buy cheap second hand classical records based on whether they had an interesting cover or not.

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/tom-verlaines-vinyl-collection-to-be-sold-through-discogs-nycs-academy-records/?fbclid=IwZnRzaASsUfdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeGZrR_JBAT8uT4ovoZ0clkEJzwfnsutNh_r9N7oQL2Tg-o2qdL2Ryi6wmYe4_aem_zGqwM1DPwe-kJVfUV0sG_A

Dollar Brand / Abdullah Ibrahim RIP

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Obituary

At 91 in Germany on Monday. A wonderful, defiant icon of Sth African jazz. I first heard him in 1981 in Zimbabwe the towering Mannenberg soaring into the clear blue African sky. From then on I could always recognise township style jazz within 3 or 4 notes.

I only saw him once, on a hot afternoon at Womadelaide. He came on solo , unannounced started to play and play and play then he stood up bowed and walked off.

Mouse plague – like stepping on marshmallows

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Our occasional series continues. Parts of south western Australia are experiencing mouse plagues. Not that uncommon given it is a massive wheat growing area.

So the choice appears to be hordes of rodents or being inundated with highly toxic baits.

Hope the link works.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-27/morawa-school-mouse-bait-closure-student-speaks/106719872?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

Paul Simon dealing with his hearing issues

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I posted this interview with the rather excellent Anthony Mason on the Emmylou thread as someone mentioned Simon’s frailty. This is before he started playing live and discusses managing the issue, setting up speakers, what he can now play etc.

Certainly talks a lot slower.

His tour of UK getting very mixed reviews. Read of one guy walking out in Liverpool.

YouTube in comments.